Social New York under the Georges, 1714-1776: Houses, Streets, and Country Homes, with Chapters on Fashions, Furniture, China, Plate, and Manners

THE bed was, of course, the most important piece
of furniture in the bedroom. Almost invariably, it
was a tall and wide four-poster of mahogany, more
or less richly carved. But the framework, handsome
as it might be, and even if crowned by a carved
tester, was comparatively unimportant when the
furnishings are remembered. A large feather bed,
weighing many pounds and stuffed with the softest
feathers, rested upon a simple arrangement of bed-
cords, or a "sacking-bottom,"--a kind of heavy sail-
cloth from which the word "bed-bunt" was probably
derived. "Bed-bunts" were imported and were usually 6 x 4 ft. and 9 x 4 ft., which shows the average
size of the bed.

The sheeting usually came from Holland, and was
known as "ozenbrigs;" the blankets were "striped,"
"rose," or "swanskin" and the spreads, or "sprees,"
early in the century were "white cotton bed carpets,"
but they were supplanted later by "white flowered
counterpains." Marseilles quilts came in about 1772. India chintz counterpanes were also used in 1768, and
scarlet, blue, flowered, and black figured "drawboys"
in 1771. A silk quilt, or a Turkey quilt, was usually
folded neatly and laid across the foot of the bed.
The bolster and pillows, stuffed with softest feathers,

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Notes for this page

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.comPublication information:
Book title: Social New York under the Georges, 1714-1776:Houses, Streets, and Country Homes, with Chapters on Fashions, Furniture, China, Plate, and Manners.
Contributors: Esther Singleton - Author.
Publisher: D. Appleton.
Place of publication: New York.
Publication year: 1902.
Page number: 103.

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